Apostles Are Chosen and Called of God

The word Apostle is derived from a Greek word meaning “one sent forth” (see Bible Dictionary, “Apostle,” 612). Such an appointment requires a divine commission and priesthood authority. Apostles have the special responsibility to take the gospel to all the peoples of the earth and the unique commission to assist in overseeing the Church. The word Apostle was not applied to the early patriarchs and prophets of God who led His people through their ages; rather, it was restricted for those called as special witnesses of the name of Jesus Christ, His Atonement, and His Resurrection. It pertains likewise to those who carry the same responsibilities in the dispensation of the fulness of times.

The book of Acts affirms that the Apostles were to continue guiding the Church. After the Ascension of Christ, He directed the continuing labors of the Apostles “through the Holy Ghost” (Acts 1:2). The Apostles had been prepared and taught by the Lord to enable them to fulfill their calling and ministry.

In this dispensation the Lord again called Apostles, beginning with “Joseph Smith, Jun., who was called of God, and ordained an apostle of Jesus Christ, … and … Oliver Cowdery, who was also called of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, … and ordained under his hand” (D&C 20:2–3). The reestablishment of a Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for this dispensation took place on 14 February 1835, when they were chosen and announced (see History of the Church, 2:181–89).

Apostles Are Commissioned to Teach All Nations

A primary role of the Apostles has always been to teach the gospel: “And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach” (Mark 3:14). While their early ministry was limited to the house of Israel (see Matt. 10:5–6; Matt. 15:24), the Savior later sent them to “teach all nations” (Matt. 28:19).

The book of Acts shows how the Apostles fulfilled their commission. On the day of Pentecost, the spiritual endowment given to Peter and the other Apostles enabled them to teach even the foreign speakers in their midst, and “every man heard them speak in his own language” (Acts 2:6).

Later, Peter, the prophet-leader of the early Twelve, was inspired to extend the work to the Gentiles: “In every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (see Acts 10:34–35). Some at first challenged the new direction, but the Spirit manifested the need for the conversion of those not of Israel (see Acts 11:1–18). The book of Acts describes some of the missionary travels of the Twelve and concludes with the far-reaching missions of the Apostle Paul.

Similarly, under the direction of the First Presidency of the Church, the Apostles called in our dispensation oversee carrying the gospel to the nations. “Whithersoever they [the First Presidency] shall send you, go ye, and I will be with you; in whatsoever place ye shall proclaim my name an effectual door shall be opened unto you” (D&C 112:19). The Twelve are further given the responsibility to oversee others who may be sent to assist them in fulfilling this commission (see D&C 84:62; D&C 107:35; D&C 112:21).

Apostles Hold the Keys of the Kingdom

Another apostolic responsibility in both ancient and modern times pertains to the “keys of the kingdom,” or the priesthood authority to preside over and direct the Church of Jesus Christ. The Savior said to the early Apostles, with Peter as the presiding head, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:19).

To the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in this dispensation, the Lord declared that He had sent Peter, James, and John, “by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them;

“Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times; and for the fulness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth” (D&C 27:12–13; see also D&C 112:30–32).

President Gordon B. Hinckley has provided instruction on this matter: “Each man who is ordained an Apostle and sustained a member of the Council of the Twelve is sustained as a prophet, seer, and revelator. … Therefore, all incumbent members of the Quorum of the First Presidency and of the Council of the Twelve have been recipients of the keys, rights, and authority pertaining to the holy apostleship. … In this authority reside the powers of governance of the Church and kingdom of God in the earth. There is order in the exercise of that authority. It is specifically set forth in the revelations of the Lord. It is known to all of the Brethren and is observed by all.”

Apostles Teach the Doctrines and Principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Apostles have a special blessing in connection with their teaching the people. We read, “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets” (1 Cor. 12:28). In another letter from the Apostle Paul, these Church officials were likened unto a building with a “foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Eph. 2:20). Likewise in this dispensation, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets …” (A of F 1:6).

President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, cites the informative teaching of President J. Reuben Clark Jr. (1871–1961), a Counselor in the First Presidency: “‘Some of the General Authorities [the Apostles] have had assigned to them a special calling; they possess a special gift; they are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators, which gives them a special spiritual endowment in connection with their teaching of this people. They have the right, the power, and the authority to declare the mind and will of God to his people, subject to the over-all power and authority of the President of the Church. Others of the General Authorities are not given this special spiritual endowment.’ The resulting limitation ‘applies to every other officer and member of the Church, for none of them is spiritually endowed as a prophet, seer, and revelator.’”

In this manner, God has “set up safeguards to protect … members from being tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine and to preserve them from the sleight of men who, with cunning craftiness, lie in wait to deceive. (See Eph. 4:14.) Those safeguards, according to Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, rested primarily in the persons of the apostles and prophets whom God placed at the head of the Church for that specific purpose.”

The Lord has given the following warning concerning those who are to consider the message of the Apostles: “The day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, should be cut off from among the people” (D&C 1:14). Therefore, because of the special endowment associated with their teaching, the Lord has said that all who teach within the Church or as missionaries should use the instruction of the Apostles for their measure. The scriptures indicate that teachers should say “none other things than that which the prophets and apostles have written,” even “that which they have seen and heard and most assuredly believe” (D&C 52:9, 36).

Apostles Are to Build Up and Set in Order the Church

In the New Testament era of the Church, as new units were formed and grew, the Apostles went about “confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and … ordained them elders in every church” (Acts 14:22–23). They communicated direction and counsel from the Church leaders. The ancient scripture records, “They delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles … , and so were the churches established in the faith” (Acts 16:4–5).

Similarly, Apostles today “officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, … to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations” (D&C 107:33). Likewise, “it is the duty of the Twelve … to ordain and set in order all the other officers of the church” (D&C 107:58). President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) has provided instruction concerning this aspect of an Apostle’s service:

“The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called and ordained to hold the keys of the priesthood, have the authority and responsibility to govern the Church, to administer its ordinances, to teach its doctrine, and to establish and maintain its practices. …

“… The governance of the Church and the exercise of the prophetic gifts will always be vested in those apostolic authorities who hold and exercise all of the keys of the priesthood.”

The Senior Apostle Is the President of the Church

As in former days, the senior Apostle presides over the Church and has the responsibility to announce new doctrine or changes. With the death of Judas Iscariot (see Matt. 27:3–5), a vacancy existed in the Quorum of the Twelve. Peter, as President of the Church, directed the calling of a new Apostle, Matthias, who was “ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:22; see also Acts 1:15–16, 21–26).

In another example, Peter was given a great revelation expanding the ministry of the Apostles from the house of Israel to all the world (see Acts 10:9–16). As he came to understand the revelation, he communicated it to the Church:

“Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

“But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:34–35).

After the announcement and implementation of the revelation, some in the Church contended against the new doctrine, adhering firmly to the Mosaic law. Peter corrected their false teaching and testified of the divine direction he had received concerning the matter (see Acts 11:1–18). In time there grew some additional disagreements as to how this revelation was to be applied to the converts of the early Church (see Acts 15:1–5). The matter was considered in council and resolved under Peter’s leadership. A letter clarifying the earlier revelation and its application was the means used to communicate the decision to the whole Church (see Acts 15:6–31).

As one author explained:

“There is no doubt that Peter and the other Brethren knew that the law of Moses was fulfilled. … Yet still there was that conflict between the doctrine of the Church and Jewish culture. The long-standing cultural tradition persisted among many Jewish members for years, even after the doctrinal question was settled.

“In like manner today, there may be questions on which the doctrinal foundation is clear but on which tradition or custom are so strong that the Brethren are impressed not to take a firmer stand, trusting, as did Church leaders in New Testament times, that if the basic revealed principles are known, the Holy Ghost will eventually lead the adherents to forsake their tradition, or academic popularity, or peer pressure in favor of the word of God.

“The resolution of the problem reported in the book of Acts gives our present generation an informative model as to how both Church members and those of different faiths may react when revelation confronts tradition and long-standing custom. Only living prophets could correctly handle the situation then. Only living prophets can do so in our day.”

In our own time the pattern of resolving doctrinal issues continues. President J. Reuben Clark Jr. taught that among those of the Twelve and the First Presidency, “only the President of the Church, the Presiding High Priest, is sustained as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator for the Church, and he alone has the right to receive revelations for the Church, either new or amendatory, or to give authoritative interpretations of scriptures that shall be binding on the Church, or change in any way the existing doctrines of the Church.”

When there are cases “of difficulty respecting doctrine or principle, … the president may inquire and obtain the mind of the Lord by revelation” (D&C 102:23). When the First Presidency of the Church and the Twelve Apostles meet in council, they consider “the most important business of the church” (D&C 107:78), and this body is spoken of in the revelations as “the highest council of the church of God, and … [those who make] a final decision upon controversies in spiritual matters” (D&C 107:80).

Apostles Are Special Witnesses of Jesus Christ

One of the most important responsibilities of an ordained Apostle is to testify of the divinity of Jesus Christ, that He is indeed literally the Son of God. We see this pattern in the book of Acts when Peter bore powerful testimony that Jesus Christ was “the Holy One,” “the Prince of life,” even “Christ” (see Acts 3:12–18). He taught that Jesus was the “prophet” whom Moses had prophesied that we should listen to—the one foretold by all the prophets, even the Son of God sent “to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (see Acts 3:19–26; see also Deut. 18:15–19; 1 Ne. 22:20–22). Peter, John, Barnabas, Paul, and the other Apostles each were special witnesses of Christ in their day.

Of Apostles in the latter days, the Redeemer said they were to be “special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world—thus differing from other officers” (D&C 107:23). Concerning this responsibility, President Gordon B. Hinckley said:

“They were called because the Lord wanted them in this office as men who have a witness of his divinity, and whose voices have been and will be raised in testimony of his reality.

“Each is a man of faith. After they are ordained to the holy apostleship and are set apart as members of the Council of the Twelve, they will be expected to devote themselves primarily to the work of the ministry. They will place first in their lives, above all other considerations, the responsibility to stand as special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world.”

In addition, President Howard W. Hunter testified: “I humbly testify of my privilege to bear the holy apostleship and to work daily with a modern Quorum of Twelve Apostles who are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to go forth as ‘special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world.’ (D&C 107:23.) And so have the Apostles always testified.”

Apostles Are Special Witnesses of the Savior’s Resurrection

The Apostles also serve as special witnesses of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. After His Resurrection, Jesus was seen first by Mary Magdalene (see Mark 16:9), and “he was seen of Cephas [Peter, the head of the Church], then of the twelve” (1 Cor. 15:5), and by others (see 1 Cor. 15:6–9).

One of the early appearances to the Twelve was on “the first day of the week, when the doors were shut … , [and] Jesus … stood in the midst” of them (John 20:19; see also Luke 24:36). These early Apostles felt the Savior’s resurrected body. He ate with them, instructed them, and blessed them (see Luke 24:37–48; John 20:20–23).

Eight days later, the Twelve had a similar experience, this time including Thomas, who had been absent before (see John 20:24–29). Other appearances to the Twelve occurred until His eventual Ascension (see Matt. 28:16–18; Mark 16:12–13; Luke 24:13–32; John 21:1–15).

In the book of Acts, Peter affirmed the role of the Apostles in bearing witness of the Savior’s ministry:

“We are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

“Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

“Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead” (Acts 10:39–41; see also Acts 3:15).

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) testified of this unique responsibility belonging to all who are Apostles: “As one of those called as special witnesses, I add my testimony to those of fellow Apostles: He lives! He lives with resurrected body. There is no truth or fact of which I am more assured, or know better by personal experience, than the truth of the literal resurrection of our Lord.”

Conclusion

As we have seen, the book of Acts demonstrates something of the breadth and power of the Apostles’ ministry. The original Twelve and four others mentioned by name served in that earlier dispensation of the gospel.

In our dispensation, 92 men have served as members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. They labor under the direction of the First Presidency to fulfill the responsibilities of this sacred office and calling. As these noble leaders in the vineyard fulfill their apostolic service, the Savior refers to them as His friends: “And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God’s high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends” (D&C 84:63).

Edward J. Brandt, ““And He Gave Some, Apostles””, Liahona, Sept. 2001, 32

“And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.” They were called from the ordinary paths of life.

Peter was the first called, and the Lord said to him, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” This same sacred authority is inherent in the ordination of every Apostle.

Paul taught that the apostles and prophets were called “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,” and he declared that these offices would endure “till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God.”

The Apostles in time were gone and, with them, the keys. Paul had prophesied of men being “carried about with every wind of doctrine.”

And so it was; instead of unity of faith, there came division and disunity.

It was in this circumstance that young Joseph Smith prayed to know which of all the churches was true, and which he should join.

Joseph’s vision of the Father and the Son opened this dispensation. Then came the restoration of the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ with the same organization that existed in the primitive Church, built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets.

Some suppose that the organization was handed to the Prophet Joseph Smith like a set of plans and specifications for a building, with all of the details known at the beginning. But it did not come that way. Rather, it came a piece at a time as the Brethren were ready and as they inquired of God.

The Melchizedek Priesthood, the consummate authority given to man from God, was restored under the hands of Peter, James, and John. By them, the Lord said, “I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles, and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry and of the same things which I revealed unto them;

“Unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times.”

The First Presidency was in place by 1833; then two years later, in February of 1835, came the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. And that is as it should be. The First Presidency came first in sequence and stands first in authority. And, true to the pattern, it was made of men called from the ordinary pursuits of life.

With the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve in place, with the offices of the Seventy and the Presiding Bishopric revealed, the proper order of things prevails. But there is a difference. Perhaps President J. Reuben Clark said it best: “Some of the General Authorities [the Apostles] have had assigned to them a special calling; they possess a special gift; they are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators, which gives them a special spiritual endowment in connection with their teaching of this people. They have the right, the power, and the authority to declare the mind and will of God to his people, subject to the over-all power and authority of the President of the Church. Others of the General Authorities are not given this special spiritual endowment.” The resulting limitation “applies to every other officer and member of the Church, for none of them is spiritually endowed as a prophet, seer, and revelator.”

Furthermore, President Clark said that among those of the Twelve and the Presidency, “only the President of the Church, the Presiding High Priest, is sustained as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator for the Church, and he alone has the right to receive revelations for the Church, either new or amendatory, or to give authoritative interpretations of scriptures that shall be binding on the Church, or change in any way the existing doctrines of the Church.”

It took a generation of asking and receiving before the order of things as we know it today was firmly in place. Each move to perfect that order has come about in response to a need and in answer to prayer. And that process continues in our day.

“The Twelve are a Traveling Presiding High Council, to officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institution of heaven; to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations.”

Where the First Presidency cannot go, the Twelve are sent “to unlock the door of the kingdom in all places.” They are commissioned to go to all the world, for the word Apostle means “one [who is] sent forth.”

“Wherefore,” the Lord said, “in whatsoever place ye shall proclaim my name an effectual door shall be opened unto you, that they may receive my word.” And He promised, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.”

The Twelve Apostles “are called to be … special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world.” Each carries that certain witness that Jesus is the Christ. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught that “every member of the Church should have the impressions on his soul made by the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Son of God indelibly pictured so that they cannot be forgotten.”

From Nephi we know that “angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost.” Mormon told us that “the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men.” Mormon further explained that angels accomplish their ministry “by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.

“And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men.”

There is a power of discernment granted “unto such as God shall appoint … to watch over [his] church.” To discern means “to see.”

President Harold B. Lee told me once of a conversation he had with Elder Charles A. Callis of the Quorum of the Twelve. Brother Callis had remarked that the gift of discernment was an awesome burden to carry. To see clearly what is ahead and yet find members slow to respond or resistant to counsel or even rejecting the witness of the apostles and prophets brings deep sorrow.

Nevertheless, “the responsibility of leading this church” must rest upon us until “you shall appoint others to succeed you.”

The Lord warned us of those few in the Church “who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house.”

“Thy voice,” the Lord commanded the Twelve, “shall be a rebuke unto the transgressor; and at thy rebuke let the tongue of the slanderer cease its perverseness.”

Some few within the Church openly, or perhaps far worse, in the darkness of anonymity, reproach their leaders in the wards and stakes and in the Church, seeking to make them “an offender for a word,” as Isaiah said. To them the Lord said:

“Cursed are all those that shall lift up the heel against mine anointed, saith the Lord, and cry they have sinned when they have not sinned … but have done that which was meet in mine eyes, and which I commanded them.

“But those who cry transgression do it because they are the servants of sin, and are the children of disobedience themselves. …

“… because they have offended my little ones they shall be severed from the ordinances of mine house.

“Their basket shall not be full, their houses and their barns shall perish, and they themselves shall be despised by those that flattered them.

“They shall not have right to the priesthood, nor their posterity after them from generation to generation.”

That terrible penalty will not apply to those who try as best they can to live the gospel and sustain their leaders. Nor need it apply to those who in the past have been guilty of indifference or even opposition, if they will repent, confess their transgressions, and forsake them.

Recently President Hinckley reminded the Brethren that, while we are men called from the ordinary pursuits of life, there rests upon us a sacred ministry. And we take comfort in what the Lord said to the original Twelve: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you.”

While each feels his own limitation, there is strength in unity. Never in the history of the Church have the Brethren of the First Presidency and the Twelve been more united.

Each week we meet together in the temple. We open the meeting by kneeling in prayer, and we close with prayer. Every prayer is offered in the spirit of submission and obedience to Him who called us and whose servants and witnesses we are.

The Lord requires that “every decision made by either of these quorums must be by the unanimous voice of the same” and that “the decisions of these quorums … are to be made in all righteousness, in holiness, and lowliness of heart, meekness and long suffering, and in faith, and virtue, and knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity.” This we earnestly strive to do.

We know that we hold the power of the priesthood “in connection with all those who have received a dispensation at any time from the beginning of the creation.” We think of those who have preceded us in these sacred offices, and at times we feel their presence.

We are overcome with what the Lord said of those who hold these sacred callings: “Whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation.”

During a very difficult time, the Lord gave the sternest warning that I know of in all scripture. It had to do with the building of the Nauvoo Temple. The Saints knew from experience that to proceed to build a temple would bring terrible persecution, so they delayed. The Lord extended the time and said, “If you do not these things at the end of the appointment ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead, saith the Lord your God.”

Often overlooked in that revelation is a marvelous promise: “If my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place.”

Remember this promise; hold on to it. It should be a great comfort to those struggling to keep a family together in a society increasingly indifferent to, and even hostile toward, those standards which are essential to a happy family.

The promise is a restatement of what the Lord told the multitude: “Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants.”

I repeat the promise that those who hearken to the voice of these men whom the Lord has raised up “shall not be moved out of their place.”

But the promise was followed with this caution: “But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blest.”

The most precious thing we have to give is our witness of the Lord, our testimony of Jesus Christ.

I certify to you that the 14 men with whom I share the ordination are indeed Apostles. In declaring this, I say no more than the Lord has taught, no more than may be revealed to anyone who seeks with a sincere heart and real intent for an individual witness of the Spirit.

These men are true servants of the Lord; give heed to their counsel. So, too, with the Seventy, who as especial witnesses carry an apostolic responsibility, and the Bishopric, worthy men of God. So, too, with the brethren and sisters across the world who are called to lead, who have earned that knowledge precious above all else.

There are limits to what the Spirit permits us to say. And so I close with my witness, my special witness, that Jesus is the Christ, that through a prophet-president He presides over this, “the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

With President Uchtdorf being called to the First Presidency, there was then a vacancy in the Twelve, and so yesterday we sustained a new member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder D. Todd Christofferson. He now joins that sacred brotherhood in that sacred circle, and the circle now stands filled. The calling of an Apostle goes back to the Lord Jesus Christ.

We also sustained a number of Seventies. They have taken their place now. The scriptures provide that it is the responsibility of the Quorum of the Twelve to direct all of the affairs of the Church, and when they need help, they are “to call upon the Seventy … instead of any others.” And now we have eight Quorums of Seventy scattered across the world, more than 300 Seventies, all holding the necessary authority to do whatever the Twelve direct them to do.

The Lord Himself set in motion this pattern of administration:

“He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

“And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.”

Andrew had heard John speak and ran to his brother Simon and said, “We have found the Messias. …

“… He brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.”

Simon and his brother Andrew were casting nets into the sea; James and John the sons of Zebedee were mending their fishing nets; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew, a publican, or tax collector; Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus; Simon the Canaanite; Judas the brother of James; and Judas Iscariot—they made up the Quorum of the Twelve.

He bid them all, “Come, follow me.”

He said to Peter, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

And He told the Twelve, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

He gave His Apostles “power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick … every where.”

And He said, “[The] Twelve hold the keys to open up the authority of my kingdom upon the four corners of the earth, and after that to send my word to every creature.”

Jesus once asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? …

“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

When Jesus taught in the synagogue, many disciples said, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it? …

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

“… Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”

After the Crucifixion, the Apostles remembered He had said they should stay in Jerusalem. Then came the day of Pentecost, that great event when they received the Holy Ghost. They received “a more sure word of prophecy” and “spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” And so they were complete.

We know little of their travels and only where and how a few of them died. James was killed in Jerusalem by Herod. Peter and Paul died in Rome. Tradition holds that Philip went to the East. Much more than this we do not know.

They scattered; they taught, testified, and established the Church. And they died for their beliefs, and with their deaths came the dark centuries of apostasy.

The most precious thing lost in the Apostasy was the authority held by the Twelve—the priesthood keys. For the Church to be His Church, there must be a Quorum of the Twelve who hold the keys and confer them on others.

In time came the First Vision and the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood by Peter, James, and John.

The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve were later told:

“Verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which ye have received, have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being sent down from heaven unto you.

“… Behold how great is your calling. Cleanse your hearts and your garments, lest the blood of this generation be required at your hands.”

The restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was young when the First Presidency was organized, followed by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which was made up of ordinary men, and then the Quorums of the Seventy. The average age of that first Quorum of the Twelve was 28.

There has been an unbroken line of authority. The priesthood keys given to the Apostles have always been held by members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve.

Yesterday Elder D. Todd Christofferson became the 96th Apostle to serve in the Twelve in this dispensation. He will be ordained an Apostle and given all the priesthood keys conferred upon the other 14 prophets, seers, and revelators—Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In 1976 an area general conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Following the closing session, President Spencer W. Kimball desired to visit the Vor Frue Church, where the Thorvaldsen statues of the Christus and of the Twelve Apostles stand. He had visited there some years earlier and wanted all of us to see it, to go there.

To the front of the church, behind the altar, stands the familiar statue of the Christus with His arms turned forward and somewhat outstretched, the hands showing the imprint of the nails, and the wound in His side very clearly visible. Along each side stand the statues of the Apostles, Peter at the front to the right and the other Apostles in order.

Most of our group was near the rear of the chapel with the custodian. I stood up front with President Kimball before the statue of Peter with Elder Rex D. Pinegar and Johan Helge Benthin, president of the Copenhagen stake.

In Peter’s hand, depicted in marble, is a set of heavy keys. President Kimball pointed to those keys and explained what they symbolized. Then, in an act I shall never forget, he turned to President Benthin and with unaccustomed firmness pointed his finger at him and said, “I want you to tell everyone in Denmark that I hold the keys! We hold the real keys, and we use them every day.”

I will never forget that declaration, that testimony from the prophet. The influence was spiritually powerful; the impression was physical in its impact.

We walked to the back of the chapel where the rest of the group was standing. Pointing to the statues, President Kimball said to the kind custodian, “These are the dead Apostles.” Pointing to me, he said, “Here we have the living Apostles. Elder Packer is an Apostle. Elder Thomas S. Monson and Elder L. Tom Perry are Apostles, and I am an Apostle. We are the living Apostles.

“You read about the Seventies in the New Testament, and here are two of the living Seventies, Elder Rex D. Pinegar and Elder Robert D. Hales.”

The custodian, who up to that time had shown no emotion, suddenly was in tears.

I felt I had had an experience of a lifetime.

“We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.”

When the Seventy are ordained, although they are not ordained Apostles nor do they hold keys, they have authority, and the Twelve are “to call upon the Seventy, when they need assistance, to fill the several calls for preaching and administering the gospel, instead of any others.”

Today there are 308 Seventies in 8 quorums. They represent 44 countries and speak 30 languages.

We do not hear of the priesthood keys being exercised in other Christian churches. It seems odd that we are described by some as being non-Christian when we are the only ones who have the authority and the organization that He established.

The present Twelve are very ordinary people. They are not, as the original Twelve were not, spectacular individually, but collectively the Twelve are a power.

We come from a variety of occupations. We are scientists, lawyers, teachers.

Elder Nelson was a pioneer heart surgeon. He performed thousands of surgical operations. He told me he gave every heart surgery patient a lifetime guarantee on his work.

Several in this Quorum were military men—a sailor, marines, pilots.

They have held various positions in the Church: home teachers, teachers, missionaries, quorum presidents, bishops, stake presidents, mission presidents, and of most importance, husbands and fathers.

They all are students and teachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What unites us is our love of the Savior and His Father’s children and our witness that He stands at the head of the Church.

Almost to a man, the Twelve come from humble beginnings, as it was when He was here. The living Twelve are welded together in the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When the call came, each has put down his nets, so to speak, and followed the Lord.

President Kimball is remembered for his statement, “My life is like my shoes—to be worn out in service.” That applies to all members of the Twelve. We also wear ourselves out in service of the Lord, and we do so willingly. It is not an easy life for us or our families.

It is not possible in words to describe the contribution, the service, the sacrifice given by the wives of priesthood leaders all across the world.

Some time ago, my wife and also Sister Ballard underwent consummately painful back surgery. Both are doing well; neither has complained. The nearest my wife came to complaint was, “This is no fun!”

“It is the duty of the Twelve”—under the direction of the First Presidency—“to ordain and set in order all the other officers of the church, agreeable to the revelation.”

We now have means by which we can teach and testify to leaders and members all over the world electronically. But in order to confer the keys of authority in that unbroken line upon the priesthood leaders, “by the laying on of hands,” wherever they are in the world, one of us must be there every time.

The Lord said, “And again, I say unto you, that whosoever ye shall send in my name, by the voice of your brethren, the Twelve, duly recommended and authorized by you, shall have power to open the door of my kingdom unto any nation whithersoever ye shall send them.”

The scriptures describe the Twelve as “traveling councilors.”

I am no different from the Brethren of the Twelve and the Seventy and the Bishopric with whom I have served for these 47 years when I tell you that the records show I have been in Mexico and Central and South America more than 75 times, in Europe over 50 times, Canada 25 times, the islands of the Pacific 10 times, Asia 10 times, and Africa 4 times; also China twice; to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the Dominican Republic, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, and many, many other places around the globe. Others have traveled even more than that.

While the Apostles hold all of the priesthood keys, all leaders and members alike may receive personal revelation. Indeed, they are expected to seek it through prayer and to act on it by faith.

“For through him we … have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.”

Now Elder Christofferson may wonder, as I did, why one such as I should be ordained to the holy apostleship.

There are many qualifications that I lack. There is so much in my effort to serve that is wanting. There is only one single thing, one qualification that can explain it. Like Peter and all of those who have since been ordained, I have that witness.

I know that God is our Father. He introduced His Son, Jesus Christ, to Joseph Smith. I declare to you that I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that He lives. He was born in the meridian of time. He taught His gospel and was tried. He suffered and was crucified and resurrected on the third day. He, like His Father, has a body of flesh and bone. He made His Atonement. Of Him I bear witness. Of Him I am a witness. This I bear in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.